Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
In a new message to providers May 5, 2022, CMS is noting that the FDA has limited the authorized use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is now only authorized for patients 18 years or older: For whom other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate Who […]
CMS announced April 6, 2022, that it will pay for a second COVID-19 booster shot of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. Certain immunocompromised individuals and people ages 50 years and older who received an initial booster dose at least four months ago are eligible for another booster to increase their protection against severe disease […]
The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the Public Health Emergency (PHE) due to COVID-19 for an additional 90 days. The PHE has been renewed on a quarterly bases since it was first implemented in January 2020. The latest renewal will take the PHE into mid-summer, with a new end date on July […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is weighing several changes to the health care Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) as it advances toward a permanent rule on COVID-19 protocols. OSHA is seeking stakeholder feedback on the potential changes, and notes in its public notice that no final decisions have been made. Among the changes OSHA […]
More than one-third, 34%, of nurses said they likely will quit their job by the end of 2022, citing burnout and a high-stress working environment as the primary reason, according to Nursing in the Time of COVID-19. Not all are leaving nursing, altogether. Some 40% plan to pursue a nursing role elsewhere, as reported by […]
Southeast post-acute provider PruittHealth recently released its 2021 COVID-19 report, offering a look at its efforts during the pandemic, including the perks it has offered to employees to promote vaccination. Incentives included: The Protect Bonus, which granted all full-time employee partners $100 when their health care center achieved a 90% vaccination rate. The Hero Bag, […]
CMS will no longer require the use of the focused infection control (FIC) survey and tool on a national basis, with officials expecting surveyors to assess infection control and prevention through the standard survey process going forward. The move was announced in a revised memorandum to surveyors on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, effective immediately. “Based […]
In an effort to increase transparency for families choosing nursing homes for their loved ones, CMS announced February 9th that COVID-19 booster data in nursing homes will be made publicly available. While the current data indicate that nursing home residents are getting booster shots at a rate comparable to the national average of adults over […]
Working the front lines of the early COVID-19 pandemic led to sleepless nights, anxiety, and depression for more than half of nurses surveyed for a new study. “Nurses are already at risk for higher rates of depression and insufficient sleep compared to other professions, thanks to the stress of patient care and the nature of […]
Workers who contract COVID-19 can be protected from discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), according to new Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance, issued on December 14, 2021. Depending on each worker’s circumstances, the virus can cause afflictions that meet one of the ADA’s three definitions for a “disability,” which cover (1) actual, […]